... Claude Rains

Bette Davis maintained throughout her career that Claude Rains was her favourite co-star. Rains was born into an English theatre family, making his stage debut aged 11, and also become a sought-after acting coach, the young Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud amongst his pupils. In 1932, Universal screen-tested Rains and he never looked back. Best known for character and supporting roles in such classics as 'The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), 'Casablanca' (1944) and David Lean’s epic 'Lawrence of Arabia' (1962), here are some other chances to appreciate Rains’ great talent.

Mr. Skeffington (1944, Dr: Vincent Sherman)
Of the films Rains and Davis did together, the only one where they shared top billing. Davis plays Fanny, a well-bred vain penniless socialite, who marries Job Skeffington for his money. Job takes her as she is, loving her in spite of her heartless affairs and neglect of their daughter. Only decades later does Fanny realize just what his love and loyalty are really worth.

Caesar and Cleopatra (1945, Dr: Gabriel Pascal)
Based on George Bernard Shaw’s wordy and witty play, Rains shines as the aging pragmatic Julius Caesar, easily conquering Egypt, but perhaps not entirely taming the young kittenish Cleopatra (Vivien Leigh). It’s a witty film adaption one of Shaw’s great plays, showcasing some great British actors in support including a young Stewart Granger and (Dame) Flora Robson.

Notorious (1947, Dr: Alfred Hitchcock)
A tense Ben Hecht screenplay based around a group of Nazis in South America, Rains plays the role of Sebastian with relish. Sebastian suspects his wife Alicia (Ingrid Bergman) of having an affair with American Devlin (Cary Grant), but then discovers that Devlin isn’t her lover but her handler, as she is spying on his German friends for the U.S. So which betrayal is the worse?

Here comes Mr. Jordan (1941, Dr: Alexander Hall)
Re-made more recently by Warren Beatty as 'Heaven can Wait', Rains plays Mr. Jordan, a supervisor sent down from Heaven when a novice angel messenger plucks a boxer named Joe (Robert Montgomery) out of a plane crash to save his suffering, only to find Joe wasn’t destined to perish. Adventures ensue before Mr. Jordan can get find a suitable ‘body’ to allow Joe to live out the rest of his days. (Also watch out for wonderful James Gleason as Max.)